Feeding box



Aug. 15, 1939 M. A. WALLACE 2,169,350

FEEDING BOX Filed Feb. 28, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

'BY M ATTORNEYS.

Aug. 15, 1939 M. A. WALLACE FEEDING BOX 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 28, 1959 1 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 15, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention aims to provide a simple but effective device, adapted to be used in distributing feed to animals on a range, the dispensing of the feed being under the control of the driver of a vehicle, and it being unnecessary to have an extra hand to pitch off the feed at places where the feed is needed. The invention aims, further, to improve the construction of the body of the article, and to provide novel means for mounting and operating the gate which controls the feedflow.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the present invention appertains.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 shows, in longitudinal section, a device constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear end elevation;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmental bottom plan;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

The numeral I marks the platform of a truck or other vehicle, one side of the platform being designated by the numeral 2. The device forming the subject matter of this application generally is so placed on the platform I as to discharge crosswise of the vehicle, at the side 2, but to avoid confusion, such terms as front, back and the like, will be used relatively to the direction of the flow of feed in Fig. 1, as per arrow A, and not relatively to the direction in which the vehicle advances.

A box-like body B, open at the top and bottom, is securely mounted on the platform I. The body 13 includes a vertical front wall 3, a vertical rear wall 4 having an opening 5 in its lower edge, and vertical side Walls 5. A downwardly and rearwardly inclined bottom 1 is secured in the body B and occupies the entire horizontal cross section of the body. The bottom 1 has a reduced tongue 8, extended through the opening 5 in the rear wall 4, and to the tongue 8 are secured the vertical side pieces 9 of a spout. The spout as a whole is marked by the reference character S. The upper portions of upper partitions 10 are secured to the side walls 6 and slant downwardly and inwardly, as shown in Fig. 3, the partitions H] extending between the front wall 3 and the rear wall 4 of the body B. The lower edges of the upper partitions l0 engage the upper edges of vertical, parallel lower partitions ll secured to the bottom I, the lower partitions II extending between the front wall 3 and the rear Wall 4 of the body B.

Located within the compartment formed by the bottom 1, the rear wall 4 and the front wall 3 of the body B is a metal lining l2, conforming to the partitions l0 and H and extended along the bottom I. The lining I2 is troughshaped in cross section, but its ends are closed by the walls 4 and 3 of the body B. The lining I2 is supplied at its upper edges with hook flanges 14, engaged over the upper edges of the side walls 6 of the body B. The bottom of the lining [2 has a tongue I5, resting on the tongue or bottom 8 of the spout S.

A trough-shaped spout extension I6 is provided, and is pivotally mounted at I! on hanger brackets l8, secured to the lower surface of the bottom 8 of the fixed spout S. The spout extension I6 is provided on one side with longitudinally spaced ears or keepers l9, shown in Fig. 4. A retainer, such as a hook 20, is pivoted to one side piece 9 of the fixed spout S. The hook 20 may be engaged with one of the keepers l9, to hold the bottom of the spout extension I6 aligned with the bottom I of the feed compartmentin the body B to facilitate a feed run-off and delivery, in the direction of the arrow A in Fig. 1. The run-off of feed is under the control of a gate 2|, to be described hereinafter. The gate 2| holds the feed in the feed compartment but even when the gate is closed, as in Fig. 1, some feed may sift under the lower edge of the gate. The spout extension 16, however, may be turned up into the dotted line position of Fig. 1, to retain in the fixed spout S, any feed that may sift under the gate 2|, and the spout extension l6 may be held in the upright position of Fig. 1, by engaging the hook 2D with the appropriate one of the keepers IS on the sides of the spout extension.

As shown in Fig. 2, cleats 22, of considerable height, are secured to the rear wall 4 of the body B, the cleats extending outwardly to the outer edges of the body. The inner ends of the cleats 22 are spaced apart to provide a vertical guideway 23 on the outer surface of the rear wall 4 of the body B. It is in the guideway 23, that the aforesaid gate 2| is mounted for vertical reciprocation.

The gate 2| is sharpened at its lower edge, as shown at 24, in order that the gate may slice down readily into the flowing feed and cut it off. The gate 2| slides ahead of an upper cross piece 25 and a lower cross piece 25, which may be angle members, and securing elements 21, such as bolts, hold the cross pieces 2526 on the cleats 22, and hold the cleats 22 on the rear wall 4 of the body B, the cross pieces 25 and 26 extending across the guideway 23,

The gate 2| is adapted to be raised and lowered by a mechanism to be described hereinafter. The amount that the gate 2| is raised, and the amount of feed delivered in a given time are regulated by a stop 28 on the gate 2|, the stop being adapted to come into contact with the upper cross piece 25. The amount that the gate 2| is raised, may be regulated by changing the position of the stop 28, vertically, and this can be done because the gate 2| has vertically spaced openings 29, in any of which may be mounted a securing element 30 which holds the stop 28 on the gate 2|. The gate 2| is drawn down to closed position by a pull spring 3|, having its lower end anchored on the lower cross piece 26, the upper end of the pull spring being attached to the gate 2| by a securing element 32, mounted in the gate. In order that the securing element 32 and the securing element 30 for the stop 28 may have a secure mounting in the gate, an anchor plate 33, shown in Fig. 1 is let into the gate 2|, the securing elements 30 and 32 being threaded into the anchor plate.

As to the means for raising the gate 2|, against the pull of the spring 3|, a bell crank lever 34 is fulcrumed at 35 on one of the cleats 22 and has an elongated slot 36, receiving the securing element 32 on the gate. To the upper end of the bell crank lever 34 is attached a draw line 37, which may be prolonged forwardly to the drivers seat (not shown) on the vehicle that carries the body B.

The operation of the structure is simple. The driver pulls on the draw line 31, the bell crank lever 34 is tilted on its fulcrum 35, the gate 2| is raised, and as much feed as the attendant wishes, comes out of the feed compartment, by way of the fixed spout S and the spout extension |6. When the draw line 31 is slacked away, the gate 2| assumes closed position, and cuts off the flow of feed, under the impulse of the pull spring 3|.

The device afiords a convenient way for dispensing feed from a vehicle, it being unnecessary for a person to stand on the vehicle and heave off the feed.

The specific mounting of the gate 2| and the feed compartment construction are useful features of the device.

What is claimed is:

1. A dispensing device for vehicles, comprising a body including a rear wall having an opening, the body comprising an inclined bottom leading to the opening, cleats on the rear wall and defining a guideway above the opening, upper and lower cross pieces attached to the cleats and extended across the guideway, a gate retained by the cross pieces in the guideway for sliding movement, a securing device mounted on the gate, a gate-closing pull spring connected to the securing device and to the lower cross piece, a stop on the gate and cooperating with the upper cross piece to limit the opening movement of the gate, and means connected to the securing element, and under the control of an operator, to bring about an opening of the gate.

2. A dispensing device for vehicles, comprising a body including a rear wall having an opening, the body having an inclined bottom leading to the opening, a gate controlling the opening, means for mounting the gate for sliding movement, including upper and lower cross pieces, a gate-closing pull spring connected to the lower cross piece and to the gate, a stop cooperating with the upper cross piece to limit the opening of the gate, means for mounting the stop on the gate in adjusted positions with respect to the upper cross piece, and means under the control of an operator for opening the gate.

3. A dispensing device for vehicles, comprising a box-like body including side walls, a front wall, and a rear wall having an opening, the body including an inclined bottom leading to the opening, and having a tongue extended through the opening, a lining in the body and supportedon the bottom, the lining being trough-shaped and being closed at its ends by the front and rear walls and i extending upwardly on the side walls, the lining having a tongue, prolonged through. the opening and supported on the tongue of the bottom, and a gate movably mounted on the rear wall and controlling the opening.

MONTIE A. WALLACE. 

